Here's to Hope
by iamtryN
Summary: Sequel to Kiss of an Angel. Where can Meg go from a kiss she can't forget? Where does she want to go? Are there halos in Meg's future? Read on and find out! Enjoy my what if...  Happy New Year!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own… well, maybe the marbles rolling around up there…

**NOTE#1**: This is the sequel to Kiss of an Angel. Here is the requested more: It's for: Sam and Dean Gurl and ChevyImpalaBaby. I would also like to thank SandyDee 84 and salote for their reviews of Ugly Truth Continued. As always, thanks for favs and alerts. Hope you like!

Chapter 1

Where do demons go to unwind and relax? To think about the future and a certain angel's kiss? Why the nearest bar they can find, of course.

Meg made a beeline for the bartender at the end of the bar; getting his attention, she told him, "Give me a bottle of the strongest shit you got."

The burly bald man behind the bar told her with a chuckle, "Honey, you couldn't handle it, why don't you run along to the liquor store down the road and pick yourself up a six pack of wine coolers. Go home and forget about what ever the guy did to you. It's always better in the morning."

Meg glared at the man her eyes flashing black for just a second before telling him, sarcastically, "I can drink you under the table any day of the week, _honey_."

The bartender thought he saw her eyes change color for a split second before returning to normal. He shook it off. It must have been the lights, playing tricks on him. He laughed, "Name's Max and I tell you what. _If you can out drink me_, your tab will be free for the night, deal?"

"It's a bet." She held out her hand waiting for him to take it. After he shook her hand sealing the bet she told him, with a tilt of her head and a slight smirk on her face. "Name's Meg."

"Honey, I should warn you, no one has ever beaten me." Max said smugly, setting up the drinks.

"Well, then tonight's the night a legend goes down, _honey_." With that statement she threw back her first shot. He matched her shot and set up the second ones. She gave him a grin as she tossed back the next three shots.

"Come on Max." She smiled as she saluted him with her shot glass, "Here's to hope."

As he clinked his shot glass with hers he asked her, "So what's the bum's name?" Tossing back his shot and refilling the glasses.

"He's not a bum; he plays for the other team. He can't change sides and I'm not sure if I can either." Meg told him honestly, not really thinking about the fact she was talking to a human about her feelings, a stranger.

"Meg, are you saying he's gay?" Max asks throwing back yet another shot, again matching Meg.

She choked on her shot laughing as she told Max, "He's so straight he would make a preacher look gay." placing both hands on the bar and leaning in close to emphasize her words.

"I think that is sacrilegious or something along those lines, Meg." Max said with a grin.

Meg grabbed the bottle and drank straight from it as she plopped back down, not realizing how much time she had actually had her ass planted on the bar stool, throwing back shots.

"Hey, cheating… Meg." Max said, reaching for the bottle.

"Shouldn't you be bartending, Maxy?" She asked, grinning, holding the bottle behind her out of reach.

"I own this bar… besides its past closing time, we're the only ones left in here. We've been drinking for awhile hon. Loosing track of time?" Max asked with a grin of his own.

"O." She giggled, "I think I might be loosing track of a lot of things." She stated looking around as she swayed slightly. She hadn't even really noticed how busy he'd been when she'd first arrived. She thought there had been others there, but she'd been preoccupied. Who cares, anyway, right? They weren't messing with her and her drinking. She put her mind back on track to more important things.

"Can demons and angels fall in love? Is it even possible? Can it be allowed to happen?" She asked with a slight slur to her words as she emptied the bottle. At this point not caring that the subject was a little… bizarre for humans. She needed answers.

"Anybody can fall in love. Look at Romeo and Juliet." Max said nodded opening the second bottle he'd brought over to the bar from the back counter, letting her keep the one she seemed so attached to. "It might not turn out well, but it can happen. Hell, I've even heard of a woman who fell in love with a bridge… if that's not impossible, why would demons and angels be any different?" He stated logically. At least to him, it seemed logical. Who cares anyway, right? It's all hypothetical anyway. _The girl was kind of odd, but who wasn't these days_? He thought with a smile.

She smiled back at him, and realized with a jolt that she had no desire to kill this man. _Huh? When did that happen? Was that part of Clarence's kiss too_?

She saluted Max with her next shot, "You are a wise man, Max." Throwing it back, she slammed the glass onto the countertop, tapping it twice on the bar top indicting him to refill.

"I'll tell you what little lady. Your tab is free tonight." Max said grinning, enjoying the company.

"Was there ever any doubt, Maxy?" Meg said huskily as she swayed forward to lean on the bar.

He laughed at her, "You are quite unique Meg." Then since they were the only two left Max came around and sat on the bar stool next to her.

She chuckled as she told him, "You have no idea, Max."

A couple more shots and she was asking advice on how to change who she was…

"I mean…" She slurred as continued, "Can a zebra change its spots?"

"Huh?" Max asked, a little past drunk himself.

"Can an evil person change to be with a good person? Is that possible?" The slurring of words didn't faze Max, because he was doing a fine job of that himself.

"Yeah… I member a story my grandsather used to tell me about his grandsather who was a real bad person… a banssk robbers who killed people without blinking an eye and he changeded his ways sor the love of a woman. Nsever did anysthing bad again."

"So you think it's possible to be forgiven and be allowed a second chance even for a really, really, _really_ bad person?" She stared at him intently, waiting for his response.

"Yep, I do." Then the big burly 'never been beaten- I can out drink anyone' man passed out.

She snickered as she threw back her last shot, patting him on the back as she headed out, changing the open sign to closed as she shut the door behind her to let him sleep it off on his own. She had a lot of things to think about.

As she walked she wondered if she could even be allowed by either side to be something different then what she was now. Was that possible? She remembered Ruby, she had only pretended to turn good and she'd been hunted by fellow demons… she only pretended to turn good to hurt Sam and Dean. She divided and then she conquered. Shrapnel was still falling over that Bitch's antics. But was she any better? She had pretended to be Sam's friend, and then when she got the chance she tried to kill their dad. And them. Later, she possessed Sam, nearly killing Dean; would have killed Bobby given the chance. Twice. She had done many horrible things while wearing Sam, a lot he probably still didn't remember. That didn't even cover a sliver of the chaos she was responsible for.

Even if she could be forgiven by God and given a second chance would the Winchester boys give her that chance as well? Could she even ask them to? She really didn't have the right to ask. She had tortured them too many times. _She knew that_.

If they wouldn't forgive her then their own personal angel probably wouldn't either. Shit. Once again her hand lifts to her lips as she brushed her hand lightly across them as she remembered Clarence's kiss.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: Don't own a thing…. Just the little rodent with big ears that hops around messing with me….

**NOTE#1**: My site profile is messed up, again. Almost 3 days! It shows no one is reading any of my stories, which can't be right I got a review for a story that shows zero readers? What's up with that?

**NOTE#2**: IF I miss you in the thanks, hopefully you'll show up after they fix stuff… So, I will thank the ones I know right now. Thanks for the review, Ziggymia123 of Chap. 1 of Here's to Hope. Thanks for the review salote of Samnocchio. As always thanks for favs and alerts.

Chapter 2

Maybe she needed a peace offering to give the Winchesters. It would have to be monumental to even get them to consider forgiving her. It would have to be _huge_. Something they wanted really bad and couldn't obtain.

There wasn't anything they couldn't do if they set their minds to it… she frowned, look how many times they had cheated death; or came back from it. They got most things accomplished by their sheer will that it would happen or they would die trying. She really thought that was why God helped them out so much. Their un-wilting desire to do good and help others… even if the cost was themselves; their lives… their very souls. Then a slow smile spread across her lips, lighting her whole face.

Looking around she realized that to her surprise she had circled back around to Max's bar. Huh… interesting she thought as she walked down a side alley to the back. She kicked at a beer bottle as she walked, listening to the sound the glass made sliding across the pavement. Meg's grin turned into satisfied smile when she gave it a little extra kick and it sailed across the concrete and slammed into the wall, shattering on impact. She liked that sound. She decided she needed to get back to business and there was only one person… being she trusted to be honest with her. _Wow_, she thought, _that is a jolt to the system_! Maybe it would end up being a really bad thing for her, but right now she was chancing it. A demon like her didn't get where she was in life by not taking chances. What did she have to loose anyway? She giggled as she thought, if only my friends could see me now…

As she leaned against the outside wall of the bar, she called out to who she wanted to talk to. She wasn't even sure if this was the right way to reach him, but it was worth a shot.

"You called?" He asked with a tilt of his head.

Meg answered with a grin, "Yeah, sweetie, I did."

"Well, "He frowned before asking, "What do you want?"

"I need to ask you something. I figure you'd be the only one who would hear me out before trying to kill me." She told him with a hint of a smirk as she hitched her thumbs in her jeans.

"What makes you think that?" He asked his voice sounding slightly deeper than it had before to her.

She looked hurt but continued as she told him, "I need honesty for what I'm going to ask. You will give me that."

"Will I?" He asked in a surprised tone, head rising minutely.

"Yes, Castiel. I think you will." Meg told him in a serious tone.

He raised his eyebrows and said with a Dean-like statement. "So _now_ you remember my name."

Her grin grew into a genuine smile as she pushed off the wall. Walking to stand in front of him she slowly looked up to stare him in the eye her voice sultry as she told him, "I have never forgotten it. I just think Clarence suits you better."

Cas held up a hand as stepping back, "What do you need? I'm kind of busy right now."

"Jeez, Clary. You sure are sounding more like Dean everyday." Her disapproval dripping from her words even as the sarcasm oozed from her lips.

"Thank you." He said, returning her smile.

She frowned at him as her tone changed, "That wasn't a compliment."

"Your question?" Cas asked, thinking how he would probably have Dean pulling his own hair out when he found out he had met with Meg by himself.

"Yeah, right. Ok, I need to know… if a person can change? Can they be given a second chance to make up for all the bad they've done?" She asked, biting her lip as she watched his face intently.

"Yes, God gives all humans free will; they can choose to be good or bad. They can also repent…" Cas stopped at her look of confusion and rephrased. (He had learned that from Dean as well) "Change their ways, ask God's forgiveness and change their ways. As long as they stay on the good path. They will be saved."

She bit her lip and swallowed… hard before touching his arm briefly and quickly pulling her hand back as if burned as she asked, "Only humans have that chance? What about fallen angels or say…" She whispered the last word, "demons?"

He took her by the arms and looked deep into her eyes, "Demons… why Meg? Why are you asking me this? Is this about you?"

She felt as if his eyes pierced her very soul and could see things no one had ever cared to know before. It caused her to squirm in discomfort as she frowned, her bottom lip coming out into a pout. She jerked away from Cas at the same time, stepping back a couple steps, "I think your kiss fried my brain… I've had no desire to kill anything in days. I've been wandering around trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with me." She pointed an accusing finger at him as she half-sobbed, "This is all your fault!"

Cas tilted his head as he stared at her. Yep, Dean was going to roast his wings on a stick for what he was about to do. Taking a few steps forward, she countered until her back was against the wall. He grabbed her by her arms, pulling her up against him and kissed her.

She struggled a second or two trying to pull away before she melted against him.

When he finally released her she leaned back against the wall as she gasped out, "Would you quit that? I can't think when you do that."

Cas smiled smugly before turning serious, "I think God will judge you by what's in your heart and what your true intentions are. So, yes. If you truly desire to change and do so God will see and reward you accordingly."

"But can I have overcome the bad I've done?" She asked confused trying to make sure she understood what he was saying.

"That's between you and God." Cas told her bluntly.

"That's not helpful, Cas." She asked, feeling a strong desire to pout again.

Cas smiled, that was twice she had used his real name. _Huh_…

"But those are the only answers I have." Cas said, before reaching out to pull her chin up with one hand to look her in the eye. "If you are truly sincere in your efforts I will be around when you call me."

She nodded as tears sprang in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. She slowly touched one, "I have never… done this. Crying thing before. I don't think I like it." She told him bluntly. He gently wiped away a tear from the other cheek as he told her, "You might just get your wings after all, _Clarence_." Then he was gone.

She snorted as she thought; He'd known all along what that reference to her calling him that meant. He'd reminded her of that angel in that old black and white movie with the stupid name. She bit her lip, oh, yeah… _It's a Wonderful Life_… dumb name, even dumber movie. Bells ringing and wings getting… nonsense, where did people come up with stuff like that?

So, not true, if the Winchester boys' lives were anything to go by. Wonderful life, my as- um… my tush. Might as well start now. _Hope your hearing this_… at this point she wasn't sure if she was talking to Cas or God. Maybe it was both.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: Not mine…dang it.

**NOTE#1**: Thank you so much for the reviews for Here's to Hope so far, Sam and Dean Gurl! Glad you like, hope you continue to enjoy! As always continued thanks for favs and alerts!

Chapter 3

Meg knew _what _she wanted to accomplish, just not _how _to accomplish it. So, she wandered back around to the front of the bar and was surprised to see the open sign back on. Pushing the door open she let her eyes adjust to the dim lighting as she walked towards the bar. She glanced around looking for Max.

Coming up behind her he smiled as he asked her, "Back so soon?" He walked around behind the bar to end up facing her.

"I had a lot of things to think about… So, I've been walking around. I just don't know why I ended up back here." Meg said sounding confused about it as she plopped down on a barstool in front of Max.

Max smiled when he told her, "Yes, this place does tend to draw the ones that need a place to contemplate things. Has it helped?"

"Yes…" Meg nodded. "I think it has." She added while she watched him smile then lift up a white towel and start wiping down the bar. "Thank you, Max."

"I hope you get what you need from your quest." Max said cryptically as his tone turned serious.

Her eyes jerked up to meet his as she stared at him he slowly disappeared while at the same time the lights blinked out and the bar took on a dilapidated look.

"What the hell?" She asked stumbling away from the barstool she'd been sitting on. Backing away from the counter the mirror behind the bar was now shattered, and then she turned to look at the tables. Some were knocked over, while some lay broken along with the chairs. She backed away from the interior of the bar turning once she felt the door at her back and stumbled through it. The bar had the look of something closed for a long time, abandoned even.

So, who the hell was Max? Was he just a ghost who felt her plight? Or was he much more? Her own Clarence? God… her brain really was extra-crispy! Demons don't get their own personal angels. They had Lucifer. A fallen angel. Now, the very devil himself. Evil. So, again… What the hell?

Suddenly she smiled… _if an angel could fall then why couldn't a demon rise_? It only stood to reason, right?

She would ask Michael when she reached the pit. Because she had decided the perfect way to start her penance for her badness was to go after that missing soul. She was getting back Sammy's soul! Then she would give it to Cas as a peace offering. She just needed to figure out how to get there and what to do once she actually stood in front of the cage. She remembered her father telling her stories about the cage. Even demons were afraid to go anywhere near it. It wasn't going to be easy but what ever was?

Within minutes she was in hell, storming down a stone corridor lined with wet stone and slippery uneven floors, the screams and the sulfur strong as they bounced off the walls and vibrated the floors. The tint of red that covered everything made the walls appear black and the scent of the blood was almost strong enough to overpower the sulfur smell.

She hoped the demons she ran across on her way to the cage were too busy to mess with her. Because she felt that they could probably smell the taint of angel still on her. She couldn't let them get that close to her; if they searched closely they would detect her defection from the folds of evil. She couldn't risk it, not at this early stage of the game. She had to make deals first before anything interfered with her plans. She knew once she reached the point where no demons dared to venture she would be home free. It was just getting there that become the challenge. She was unsure if she could make it into the depths of hell she needed to; to get to the cage without having to fight her way there. Because if she had to fight she would quickly be outnumbered and she would loose before she had really even begun. She chewed her lower lip as she slipped deeper into the dark recesses of hell that even the hell fires didn't reach.

After only a few hours up top time she ran into her first obstacle. A low class demon that barely hung onto any kind of form. It was blocking the corridor, standing as if on sentry duty.

"Move out of my way." She told it firmly, reaching out to push it out of her way.

"Nothing gets past. I got my orders." It stated as it started to dissolve into smoke.

"Just who gave you those orders?" Meg asked even though she was sure she knew but she waited for confirmation.

"Crowley." It growled at her, swirling around her as if searching for something.

"Yeah, well I guess then I'm now your boss. Crowley's dead. As in never coming back. Gone. He no longer exists. I killed him." Okay the last part was a lie, but so what? Demons lie it was just one small thing in a long list of crimes. And from what she had seen over the last few years so did angels, they lied whenever it suited them. _Except maybe Clarence_… She shook her head to clear it_, focus on the goal_, she told herself firmly. Humans always did; they lied about everything. If their mouth was open, they were lying. No surprise there. _Crap, mind wandering_. _Focus_… she thought once again.

"I haven't heard that from him. Until I do I'm not leaving my post." Swirls told her in his inky voice, swaying from left to right.

"Not the brightest there are ya boy? He's dead, blinked out of existence. He can't tell you anything. You'll be standing here a hell of a long time if you wait on him. He betrayed Lucifer. Did you know that's what he was doing? You're helping him, right?" She leaned slightly forward, before adding,"I'm going to let Lucifer out. Do you really want me to tell him, you tried to stop me from doing just that? You do know who I am, correct?" Meg bombarded him, crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently.

Its form dissolved completely before reappearing into a clump of goo, "No Meg. No, tell him I helped you." It said as it transformed once again into smoke and vanished.

"Huh." That was easy enough she thought as she moved forward down the hallways of stone, bone and whatever the hell else; she tried to walk in the center and ignore the dripping walls. The smells off the walls and the very air itself was overwhelming. It was funny how she never really noticed the smells or the sounds even; before.

She shook her head as she got ever closer to her goal. She wondered if they would let her talk before they tried to kill her.

Meanwhile, Castiel felt he needed to tell Dean about Meg. He needed Dean to explain what this feeling meant, why he felt this. He was confused and he found it unsettling. In truth he got confused a lot. But this was different; he never got confused about demons. You killed them. You didn't talk to them and you sure didn't promise to be there if they called for you.

Dean would be mad, he was certain, but after he would talk with him and help him figure out what was wrong. He would help him fix this. Cas had helped him fix a lot of things; Dean could do it for him this time. He would tell him so if necessary. He crinkled his nose as he hoped he wouldn't have to tell Dean that; he could get cranky quite easily.

Cas appeared in Dean's motel room forgetting about the whole, _Respect the space thing, _in his hurry to get answers from Dean.

Dean had just turned around from the mini fridge to end up staring at a close up view of Cas. "Holy hell!" Dean snapped, startled. Grabbing his chest with his free hand he growled, "Cas, how many times have I told you…"

Cas interrupted, "But, Dean… this is an emergency!" he gasped out as he practically hopped from one foot to the other.

Dean took Cas by the arm and looked around him. _Huh_, there was nothing after Cas.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Dean asked led Cas over to the table and pushed him into a chair. Sitting down as well Dean leaned onto the table to watch Cas.

"I've helped you fix lots of stuff." Cas stated and waited, wide eyed.

"Yeah… ok…" Dean replied tilting his head to the side as he wondered where Cas was going with this. He was obliviously upset about something. Lord only knew with Cas.

"I need you to fix this for me. NOW!" Cas stood knocking his chair over in his haste to stand.

"Whoa there cowboy… let's not panic." Dean said trying to placate Cas as he held his hands up to stop Cas.

Cas evaded Dean as he started pacing back and forth in front of Dean.

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: Still not mine… I keep waiting and waiting and waiting; it never changes.

**NOTE#1**: My stats are not working right, still! I got a review 3 days late, weird, so if I don't thank you personally, I mean no insult. Thank you SandyDee84 and Sam and Dean Gurl for your reviews of Here's to Hope. Thank you hotshow for your review of The Ugly Truth Continued. So thank you for all the reviews, favs and alerts.

Chapter 4

"I'm not a cowboy." Cas snapped getting annoyed that Dean wasn't grasping the importance of it all, "I'm an angel of the Lord. That's why _you_ have to fix this." Cas grabbed Dean shirt front, giving Dean a slight shake.

Sam had opened the door to the motel room as he saw Cas with his hands on Dean. He growled as he proceeded to drop the food onto to Dean's bed while sitting the drinks on the nightstand by the door. He kicked the door shut with his foot as he grabbed the angel killing knife from the open weapons bag on Dean's bed.

Dean thought randomly that he needed to not leave the weapons bag in easy reach of Sam anymore.

"Explain, now." Sam demanded, glaring at Cas taking a couple of menacing steps their way.

Dean held up his hand as he told Sam, "It's ok. I think Cas might be panicking. We just need to find out why."

Sam's hand came down as he nodded, walking back over and dropping the knife back in the bag. He retrieved the drinks and food and came over to the table to join them. He muttered, "You can let go of Dean now."

Cas immediately let go and smoothed Dean's shirt front back out. "I'm sorry, Dean. This is… confusing to me. So, you need to fix this." he stated softly as he sat back down heavily in his chair, holding his head in his hands.

"Cas, I can't fix anything until you tell me what the problem is." Dean told Cas reasonably while sitting back down in his own chair. He was worried he had to admit, he had never seen Cas this agitated.

"O." Cas squeaked out as he raised his head to stare at Dean while he tried to organize his thoughts so he could explain them to Dean.

Sam tossed a cheeseburger Dean's way and sat fries in front of him along with his drink.

"Thanks, Sam." Dean said as he continued to watch Cas, trying to determine the problem just by looking. Nope, not a clue.

Cas' staring at Dean turned into a bewildered look that worried Dean even more. Dean asked, "What have you done, Cas? Is this about Sammy's soul?"

Cas snapped without thinking, "Not everything is about the Winchesters, _Dean_."

Dean blinked as he replied back just as testily, "I never thought it was… _Castiel_…"

Sam just ate silently as he listened to the bickering that was about to ramp up.

Cas stared at Dean, sounding like a worried little kid, not wanting to tell his parents what he'd done, "I didn't mean to snap at you. Just don't get mad."

"Well, it's not about Sammy… you haven't lost him or anything. So, I'm fine." He looked at Cas, he actually looked kind of wrinkled. "Right?"

"I would have had to have him first to loose him, Dean." Cas said wearily.

"I was just checking, you never know with you ang.. Um, with you." Dean said in response.

"I… uhmm…" Cas cleared his throat and loosened his tie and he finally mumbled in one long word, "I told Meg that when she calls me I would answer… " He stopped for breath, fearful, quick little glances shot Dean's way while he waited for it to sink in what he'd just said.

Dean blinked as he shook his head, _He__ couldn't have just heard what Dean thought he'd heard. _"Repeat that, Cas. I don't think I heard you right."

Sam butt in complete with smirk, "If you heard him say… I told Meg that when she calls me I would answer… then you heard him right." He finished helpfully.

Dean looked from Sam to Cas as he asked in a low voice, "Is that right Cas?"

Cas gulped, nodding as he waited for Dean to explode.

Dean took a deep breath, then let it slowly out as he continued to stare at Cas long enough that Cas started fidgeting in his seat.

Cas jumped up and looked down at Dean in a whiny voice, "Dean, _you're not helping_."

Dean blinked a couple of times as he gathered his thoughts before saying quietly, "Why would you do that?"

"She called me to ask me a question." Cas replied honestly.

"And you just went to see her… alone?" Dean asked, wanting all his information before he strangled Cas with his own tie for his stupidity.

Cas nodded.

"Without backup?" Dean clarified, just to be sure.

Again Cas responded with a nod.

"Why the hell would you do that? Haven't I taught you anything?" Dean snapped, jumping up as he threw his hands up in the air, sounding like an irate father chastising his kid.

"Yes Dean. You have taught me lots of things. Why just after we killed Crowley you explained to me what porn…" Cas began.

"Alright, Cas!" Dean raised his voice to drown out Cas'. He still was able to hear Sam snort with laughter.

Sam would have loved to have heard Dean explain something like that to an angel. Looking at Dean's pink face only set Sam off to laughing harder.

"Shuddup, Sam!" Dean mumbled. With Sam's genuine laughter (that he hadn't heard from Sammy in so long) his heart clinched tight, making it hard to breathe.

Cas changed the subject as told Dean, "She asked me… … if a person can change? Can they be given a second chance to make up for all the bad they've done?" and then he stood waiting for Dean's response.

"What did you tell her?" Dean finally asked after a few minutes.

"I told her yes. But that it would be between her and God what was forgiven or erased." Cas told him the abridged version of their conversation, the second kiss being part of the left out part.

"Cas you can't believe a demon can change." Dean said incredulous.

"Yes, every creature deserves a chance to repent." Cas repeated his belief.

"Yeah, alright…" Dean's face scrunched up in anger as he snapped at Cas, who was standing so that he could back away out of reach. Resisting the urge to slug some sense into the dumb shit. "And trusting demons has worked so well in the past… huh, Sammy?" Dean slipped up and used Sam's nickname in his anger.

Sam looked up startled to be dragged into the middle of Cas and Dean's discussion. He muttered not looking up from his food, "I think I paid dearly for that lack of judgment."

"Well, so did I Sam." Dean snapped as he ran a hand through his hair. God, couldn't people ever learn?

"But, Dean, this is not helping." Cas stated frustrated in his inability to explain his problem.

Dean huffed at Cas as he demanded, "Explain what the problem is Cas."

"I… "Cas thought as he brought his hand up to his chest, rubbing at it absentmindedly as he told Dean, "I have this feeling that… My chest…" Cas sighed frustration poring out in waves as he tried again, "I should hate demons."

Dean shook his head as if to clear it at Cas quick shift in subjects.

"I should hate Meg for being a demon and what she's done to you and Sam." Cas clarified, watching Dean as he spoke.

Dean chewed his lower lip, listening to Cas.

"But I think she really wants to change. She says my kiss fried her brain. That she hasn't wanted to kill anything since I kissed her and its all my fault." Cas blurted out and he held his breath for Dean's response.

Sam laughed as he realized what was going on. He slapped his knee, _This was priceless_ and _Dean thought he was fucked up. Look at his precious angel_… Sam snorted as his shoulders shook with laughter he tried to suppress.

Dean glared at Sam before turning his focus back to Cas, "She said it was your kiss that caused her to want to be good?"

"Yes." Cas confirmed.

Dean threw his hands up in the air once again in frustration as he said sarcastically, "Lord if we had only known. We could have had Cas running aroung kissing all the evil out of the demons that were trying to kill us."

Sam looked like he might start rolling around on the floor with the laughter he couldn't seem to contain.

"I kissed her again and she said to stop doing that because she can't think when I do that… what does that mean?" Cas asked trying to understand. "Help me…"

Dean glanced at Sam and couldn't help it; it started out as a grin, and then spread into a smile, blossoming into laughter. Between snickers Dean told Cas, "Sit down, this could take awhile."

**TBC**

**NOTE#2: **With this part below I tried to type **Cas' mumbled response to Dean in one long word, but the program (here) keeps erasing it. Hopefully what I was trying to do still is understandable and not lost in the... typing? "**_he finally mumbled in** one long word**, "I told Meg that when she calls me I would answer… " He stopped for breath**" **_(no kicking please). I'm afraid maybe it lost something in not being typed that way. ~iamtryN~


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: Don't own none of it… don't even have any signed pictures of the boys… so sad...

**NOTE**: Thanks for all the reviews, they are amazing! So thank you Ella M. Nite, Sam and Dean Gurl, Purplerhino, ktcullen17, LittleFallenAngel333 for reviews of Here's to Hope! As always thanks for favs and alerts.

Chapter 5

In the pit, Meg was wondering at the heat that she never really paid attention to before. It was amazing that suddenly it seemed really, really hot down here when before it was just toasty.

She was also wondering what she would say to Lucifer and his probably equally pissed off brother to get what she wanted. Bargain with both or pick one and let the other one stay in the cage? If only one, _which one_?

_Lucifer_… he had no power to fix Sam's soul… at least she didn't think so. Lucifer would rain chaos down on everything. Probably go after Sam and Dean again. If she wanted Cas to like her, she couldn't have that. Possibly he would even go after her Clarence… so not going to happen if she could help it. But was she really ready to take that final step of betraying Lucifer as well her fellow demons? Not to mention that would set all of hell after her? No, that was not a good plan.

_Michael, then_. But would he even deal with a demon? Some of his brothers did but he was definitely not them. He was sent to kill his own brother Lucifer and had no problem doing it this time around. Michael had been intent on doing just that when Sam had ruined all his plans by taking control and throwing Lucifer into the pit. So, what would he being willing to hand over to get out of the cage and back to heaven? Would he be able to help Cas restore order or would hell's cage have changed him too much?

She really wouldn't know the answers until she was able to talk to each one of them and just decide what to do then. She was also surprised that she hadn't run in to anything else trying to stop her from getting to the cage. Maybe the other demons were afraid of getting too close to the angry fighting brothers. She'd heard that even demons were afraid of the cage. Maybe this was proof of the truth of that. It was odd that there was an open path to the cage. She still worried that this was too easy.

She had lost all track of time; she had no idea how long she'd been traversing this maze of cut out hallways. From the way the stone looked it was all the same. Clarence could probably just blink them there and pop the cage and everything would be done.

But no she had to do this the difficult way, demon… She was so confused, what did demon mean anymore? To her? She used to be proud of her ability to kill without batting an eye. Her 'not giving a shit about anyone or anything' attitude had served her and others well. She was a cold-hearted bitch and proud of it. So where did that leave her now?

She'd never been kissed before in a way that left her dazed and confused. It had only been Clarence- Cas she amended. Other times had been part of the job, a mean to an ends and a fun way of getting to her goal. This with Cas… the first time she had a fleeting thought that it had been just a fluke. That he'd kissed her and it had only been because he'd caught her off guard; that was why the kiss lingered… why she couldn't let it go. Then he'd kissed her again. That second kiss had blown all her carefully constructed plan to keep her feelings for him firmly at arm's length clear out of the water.

This thing that could be between them had all the makings to set heaven and hell on fire. It was unheard of as far as she knew. Was it even allowed? Cas seemed to think she would be allowed to change if she tried hard enough. If the change went clear down to her heart, into her head, seeped through her soul and saturated her very being- she could be good. Cas had told her she could call on him and he would hear her. When had she ever had that? Never. She never had that kind of commitment from anyone Devil, demon, human nor angel. None before had ever given a shit about her.

Except Sammy had befriended her. Offered her friendship and help a phone call away. But that was when he thought she was human. So that didn't count. Meg the demon had never had that until Cas. Maybe that was why she had felt so much anger towards Sam. His friendship changing to animosity when he found out what she really was. She sighed, to be fair it had changed when she'd tried to kill them. It could all be considered a vicious circle.

But could the Winchesters ever forgive her? And after Ruby why would they even try? Why would they ever believe that an angel's kiss could turn a demon? Had it? Really? She barely heard anything has she moved almost silently, so intent on her thoughts. She knew she wanted to work out a deal for Sam's soul, when before she had tried to destroy it herself by possessing him and then killing innocents while he watched… helpless. She had even went further than that and used Sam to hurt Dean and then went after their surrogate father Bobby Singer. Actually she'd went after the Winchesters and their Bobby more than once. But if she wanted Cas she had to settle the fact in her mind that that included the Winchesters as well. They were a package deal.

Besides she had no desire to hurt anyone and felt that perhaps she'd went too far when it came to the Winchesters. _God, that even felt sappy_, she thought shaking her head.

Sammy's soul was the key to it all. Being successful in its retrieval was key to winning them all over. But even after giving them his soul, they would be suspicious. She would have to prove she meant what she was selling. She wanted out of hell and topside. But would she be allowed? She suddenly jolted back to the present as an inhuman bellow resounded through the corridor she was walking through. She couldn't make out what was being said, but there were two voices and they were bickering back and forth. As she got closer you recognized one as Lucifer, so the other had to be Michael. They sounded like they were still pissed at each other, but since they were both yelling at each other; they hadn't killed each other yet.

She walked out of the corridor and into a cavern. The cavern held the cage in the center of the room and appeared to be the only thing in the whole cavern. They had yet to realize they had company as they were too busy arguing with each other. She stood silently and waited for them to notice another presence in the room. They seemed to be hurling insults at each other as they hurled a blueish white ball of light back and forth between them.

Michael in Adam's body laughed as he told Lucifer, "Adam is unhappy with me, again."

"Why is that?" smirked Lucifer, tossing the ball back to Michael.

"He wants us to stop being mean to his brother. I think he might actually be pouting. I told him, he never knew his brother. In fact he told them…the Winchester boys I mean, that just because they had the same father it didn't make them brothers, so why all the whining now?" Michael stated acting genuinely confused as he tossed it back to Lucifer.

"Yeah, well tell him to stop bitching; it's their faults we're stuck in this cage in the first place. He should be thankful that you are being so nice to him. Because if I still had control of Sammy, the beat down would never end. Oh…" he smirked, cackling as he continued, "Wait a minute, I do have him… at least the part that counts." And bounced the glowing ball off Michael/ Adam's forehead.

"Asshole!" Michael snarled as he lunged at Lucifer.

The sudden clapping startled them as the searched out the source, hands still around each other's necks.

As Lucifer realized who was now standing outside the pit he let go of Michael and reached to straighten his shirt as he told her, "Meg, love you have always been my favorite… what took you so long?"

Michael snorted as he let go of Lucifer only to shove him away by his shoulders, "That's not what you told me. I think she went by some kind of stone's name or was it a gem?" He asked with a wicked little smile for an angel.

"Ruby is dead and so is Crowley, who had been parading around as the new King of Hell. I took care of the problem." She told him flatly, letting the anger about the Ruby comment roll over her as she stood arms crossed.

Lucifer roared in anger as he bellowed, "He betrayed me… where in hell did he return? I want him brought before me now!"

Meg blinked at him before saying coldly, "You can't have him; he no longer exists."

Lucifer stopped and stared before he asked suspiciously, "You did that? How did a demon manage that?"

Her eyebrows shot up as she ignored Michael's snicker in the background before snapping, "Demons are yours and you don't think we're capable of taking out the garbage?" She bit her lips to hold back the rest of her thoughts. She couldn't put all her cards on the table at once.

"So…" Lucifer put his hands behind his back and started pacing as he studied her before finally continuing, "Why not leave me in here and you become queen of hell? You don't need me. Are you telling me _you are the one loyal demon in all of hell_?"

**TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer**: Not even the dirt that falls off the impala as it drives by is mine…

**NOTE**: Thank you so much for all the kind reviews!Love them! Thanks for reviews of Here's to Hope by Sam and Dean Gurl, Ella M. Nite, and Also continued Thanks for favs and alerts.

Chapter 6

"You are right, I want something. I'm just not sure you are the one that can give it to me." She told Lucifer looking him in the eye, hoping he couldn't see her nervous trembling.

Michael's bark of laughter echoed through the cavern while Lucifer looked as if he might spontaneously combust on the spot.

_Lucifer _started storming around the cage in a rage looking for a way out for himself and heaven help Meg when he got his hands around her scrawny neck.

"You dare to speak to me this way?" Lucifer screamed in fury as he turned to face her from the other side of the cage.

"Well, as you have said, I don't really need you. I can become the queen bitch of hell all on my own. Hell, I've already done that. But it's not what I _want_." She stated as she continued to stare at Lucifer until he looked away clearly enraged at the turn of events.

She started watching Sam's soul bounce around the cage trying to find its own way out. After awhile she said to both of them as she stepped closer to the cage. "I want to make a deal."

"With which one of us?" Lucifer continued to use his suspicious tone.

She shrugged as she told him bluntly, "With whichever one of you gives me what I want."

Lucifer turned to glare at Michael when Michael asked Meg, "Exactly what do you want?"

Lucifer snarled at Meg as he grabbed the bars and leaned as close as he could towards her, "You would dare deal with my brother while I stand back and watch?"

"If you can't give me what I need, yes. I'm not trying to betray you; I just need to deal with the one that can get me what I want." Meg told Lucifer bluntly, her trembling disappeared as she talked to them.

Lucifer ignored what she had said as he told her, "I've been here a long time and I want out. Where's the rings?" His eyes blinked to red as he waited for her response.

She stood her ground, unfazed in that she wouldn't be steered away from her goal as she took a deep breath.

"Let us out now!" Lucifer roared not seeming to realize he had included Michael and not just himself in that demand.

She took another deep breath and jumped in with both feet, "I want Sam's soul."

Lucifer stepped back, tilting his head before grabbing the bars again and shaking the cage in his ramped up rage.

Michael asked quietly, "Why do you want that? It's broken."

Meg stared at him for a moment before saying, "Haven't you heard? Sam's soul is the latest hot commodity. Everyone wants it." She shrugged as she told them, "The one who has it…" She spread her arms wide as she smiled, "Ah." She sighed, "The possibilities… " She left it there as she smiled seductively and stepped closer to Michael's side of the cage.

Michael stepped towards her until only the bars separated them, as he told her softly, "You would do _what_ for me if I give it to you?"

Lucifer grabbed him and tossed him by his arm to the opposite side of the cage where he hit the bars and bounced forward a couple of steps.

Michael shook himself and stood to Adam's full height as he growled at Lucifer, "Brother that was a mistake."

"Don't think of making deals with my minions." Lucifer told him before adding, "I killed Gabriel what makes you think I won't do the same to you?"

"Because Gabriel loved his brothers, you do not. He let you kill him. I will not do the same." Michael stated, standing his ground.

"Are you saying you don't love your brothers?" Lucifer asked curious.

"I love you. But I won't _let_ you kill me. _If I had killed you_ the first time around, we wouldn't be in this situation now. But I was _kind _to you and this…" Michael spread his arms as he said in a challenging voice, "This is what comes of showing _you_ kindness."

Lucifer himself shook with boundless fury as he barked at Michael, "Casting me out was kindness? That was merciful?" He advanced on Michael almost seeming to smoke as his rage burned out of control.

Meg sighed as she yelled at them both, "Are you boys about done with your pissing contest?" As they both turned on her she stood with her hands on her hips as she waited on her answer.

The shocked looks on their faces mirrored each other so exactly that she laughed; it was priceless. They stood several seconds that way as they continued to stare at her.

"Sam's soul." Meg reminded them.

"Go on." Michael said finally.

"I need you to fix his soul before you give it to me." Meg said as she waited for the inevitable explosion from Lucifer.

"Why would I do that?" Michael asked curiously, while glaring at Lucifer when he received a shove from him.

"Don't encourage her." Lucifer demanded as he then slugged Michael on the shoulder.

Michael glared at Lucifer as he reprimanded him, "You are acting like a child. This is exactly why you got kicked out of heaven in the first place, you have no self-control."

"Shut up, Mikey!" Lucifer demanded with a sullen mutinous look.

Meg was standing with her arms folded across her chest before she stated flatly, "You are wasting years with your stupid bickering."

The both stopped and stared at her before Michael repeated, "Why would I fix that broken soul for you and then give him to you?"

Lucifer also waited curious for the answer.

"As you stated, it's broken. It's useless to me that way. Fix it for me and hand it over, free and clear with no faults and I will get you out. With the battles I hear are being waged up stairs in the penthouse right now, I bet they could use you." Meg said, knowing Michael would be hooked with that slip of information.

Michael was instantly pressed back against the bars as he asked, "Who is in charge for father? Who is he battling?"

Meg tilted her head as she pretended to think, "I think one… I think his name starts with a C…" She watched Michael's expression as he tried to figure out who that was before she added, "I think he helps those Winchester boys… ya know one of them that soul belongs to."

Lucifer looked confused as a light bulb seemed to have gone off in Michael's head.

"Castiel… He's in charge?" Michael asked for verification.

"Word is he's the new sheriff in town." Meg said, stepping up to the bars of the cage and placed her hands on them as she pressed herself up against to the bars, asking, "So, Mikey… do we have a deal?"

**TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer**: Never mine…

**NOTE**: I am blown away by all the reviews! I love them! Thanks to everyone that has read and reviewed my stories. I also want to thank the ones who read but are still too wary to post, been there too. As always my continued thanks for favs and alerts.

Chapter 7

"What's the catch?" Michael asked, narrowing his eyes as he watched Meg.

"I need that soul as a bargaining tool to get the rings in order get you out." Meg had been worried about this part from the beginning. She was certain they would be not be happy with this disclosure of information and she waited for the inevitable explosion from at least one… if not both brothers.

"_You don't have them_?" Lucifer roared when he lunged forward and pushed Michael out of the way making a grab for Meg's throat through the bars.

She quickly jumped back as she said snidely, "What part of bargaining tool do you not grasp?"

"The one that suggests we hand over Sam's soul to you so you can waltz out of here and never return." Lucifer snapped still concentrating on trying to wrap his fingers around that scrawny neck of hers.

"Demon deal. Kind of crossroads like… we don't break them." Meg said firmly as she stayed just out of Lucifer's reach.

"Yeah but you are not a crossroads demon." Lucifer stated, finally giving up and placed his hands on the bars.

"Hello… demon here…" She sighed before adding, "Then I guess you'll just have to trust me." Meg was starting to feel some anger herself.

"No…" Lucifer growled at the same time Michael said, "Yes." Causing them to turn to glare at the each other.

"I said no!" Hurled Lucifer at Michael while Michael snarled right back, "And I said yes!" As they stood mere inches apart, nose to nose.

Michael then turned back to Meg as he asked her, "After we give you Sam's soul, what happens then?"

"I will take it topside and use it to deal with Dean Winchester for the horseman's rings to get you out. Then I will come back and let you out. At that time I will ask for the last part of my deal." Meg asked, trying not to fidget in her anxiety as she waited for her answer.

"So, we are supposed to do this with just your guarantee that you will come back?" Lucifer demanded, his voice sharp with sarcasim.

"Yes." Meg began, and then she said softly, "What I am coming back for is the most important part."

"Queen _at_ my side?" Lucifer guessed with a smile as the smugness radiated off him.

She smiled somewhat sadly at him as she asked, "Do we have a deal?" Thinking silently, _In the past that would have been more than she'd ever dreamed for_. Now, it wasn't even in the same ballpark.

Michael shrugged as he reached out and grabbed Sam's soul as it darted around still trying to escape the torture that it had been subject to. It flickered like a startled heartbeat, almost giving off a tidal wave of fear that even Meg outside the cage could feel. Michael quickly covered Sam's soul completely with his hands as he closed his eyes to pray in enochian.

Lucifer backed over to the far corner and covered his ears as if in pain. As he closed his eyes he thought about what he would do to the Winchesters when he got out… He'd let Mikey have that soul now, but he'd be retrieving it himself. Rip it right out of Sammyboy if need be. He smiled at the thought, _Yeah, that could be fun_. The look on Dean's face would be devine , the pain both Winchesters would suffer would be priceless , and Sammy would be the cherry on top of the sundae.

Meg watched his reaction curiously before she turned her attention back to Michael.

After an undetermined amount of time Michael opened his eyes and came back over to Meg. "How will you contain him until you reach Winchester, so you don't loose him?"

She looked at him blankly, _she hadn't thought of that_… She sighed as she struggled to figure out a way to do just that.

Michael studied her, looking her up and down before telling her, "Let me see your hand."

She immediately held up her hand.

Only to have him say, "The other one."

She switched hands as he asked, "Is the stone in your ring real?"

"Yes, it's actually a very old ring." She told him, with a hint of pride. She'd had it a really long time. It had been on a chain around her neck before it fit her and on her hand every since she got big enough for it to fit properly.

Michael opened his hands just enough to enclose her hand and then looking at her he told her, "This might be uncomfortable." He started praying again, causing Lucifer to cry out in an inhuman snarl. Her hand started tingling almost to the point of uncomfortable. When he suddenly stopped and stepped back. She could see that his hands were empty.

"You healed it and it's restored correct?" Meg asked for clarification. The details screwed a lot of humans, by simply not clarifying them.

"I restored it to it's purest form." Michael said with a smile.

"What?" She yanked her hand close to her chest as she asked him, "How pure? He hasn't been pure since he was a baby. Like under six months, before he was tainted by…" She stopped and stared.

Michael's smile widened, yep she'd finally figured it out.

"No… I need him back at his right age. Just good… _fixed_." Meg told him, _Dean was seriously going to be pissed. Congrats, Deano. I got your bro back but, he's freakin' under 6 months old. shit… sorry… _

"I removed all the faults just like you asked." Michael stated smugly.

She turned to leave, realizing Michael had just created his own insurance policy, only to turn back at Michael's next comment.

"Tell Cas that I'll be joining him soon and then he can explain how he managed to turn you to the light side." Michael said with a chuckle which turned into full blown laughter at Lucifer's bellow of outrage.

She walked at a fast pace back the way she came, even though she fought the urge to run. What did that mean? Would Cas be able to tell what this would mean for Sam? What would she do to convince Dean to give up the rings? It would have been easy for her before knowing that Sam might not come back right, but now? If she lied about this, there would be no chance… no matter how slim it had been to begin with; with Cas.

That chance with Cas had been what all this was about… _her brain was definitely damaged_. That was all there was to it. She had just turned Lucifer against her. Possibly the Winchesters, well more so than they already were. Cas was… she wasn't sure anymore. But if she wanted to have any part of Cas in her life she had to make peace with the Winchesters that much she knew for certain.

**TBC**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer**: STILL not mine… I keep waiting…

**NOTE**: Thank you so much for the continuing reviews! It's awesomely cool! As always thanks for the favs and alerts. I'm so sorry this is late posting... darn migraines. I was way-laid when my back was turned! I've been hiding from the light all day in my room with my medication, earplugs and eye cover trying to convince it to go away... it's refusing, so I got up anyway to try to get this out to you guys. Hope you enjoy it enough to forgive me?

Chapter 8

Meanwhile, the Winchesters had returned to Bobby's so Dean could do a tune up on the impala. Sammy was actually outside with him, leaning on a bench table, watching while Dean leaned over the motor.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked as he watched Dean move around under the hood.

"Sammy, you know…" Dean stopped and sighed, when Sam asked questions like that, if he wasn't looking right at him, he could easily forget it wasn't Sammy there doing the asking. He started over as he said without looking up, "Adjusting the carburetor."

"Oh. Okay." Sam stated as he lifted up a wrench and then let it fall back to the table.

"Sam, do you miss your Charger?" Dean asked curiously. "How did you end up with a car like that anyway?" And after a few seconds of silence from Sam, Dean added, "Steal it?"

"No. It was payment for a job I did." Sam said bluntly, not offering the details.

"It must have been one hell of a job." Dean commented as he moved on to checking the wires.

"Yeah, it was a… custom job." Sam said cryptically walking up beside Dean and staring down at the motor.

Dean's head popped up to stare at Sam as he asked sharply, "What did you do?"

Sam shrugged as he told Dean, "The job." He turned to walk away, before he turned back to add, "No, I don't miss the car... But it was mine. I earned it." with that statement Sam turned back and walked away.

Dean stood there, wiping his hands on a grease rag as he stared after Sam. He wondered if he asked Sam about the year topside without him, if he would tell him what he'd been up to. _He wasn't sidelined by guilt at the moment and he didn't feel that anyways, so_… Dean rationalized in his head, the more he could get out of him now, the better he would be able to help Sammy when he came back. With that in mind he made a move to leave the impala exactly the way it was and follow Sam.

"FUCK!" He snapped in an almost yell when he turned and once again came close to running into to Cas. "I swear Cas, I'm going to put a damn bell around your neck." Dean was even more startled by a feminine giggle from the right.

He took a step back and there staring at him to his shock was Cas and Meg. "What the hell Cas? You dare bring her here?" Dean shook his head in anger before he finished up with, "Man, your brain must be more fucked up than I first thought!"

"Hey." Meg started, indignant.

"Truth hurts, _baby_." Dean snapped, heading for the trunk of the impala where the demon killing knife was stashed in the weapons bag. He didn't have it on him because the place was so heavily warded, Singer Salvage was better protected than Fort Knox or so Dean had thought. But with Cas they had fixed it so he could come and go as he pleased.

Glaring at Cas he told him coldly, "Buddy, I'm afraid I'm going to have to change the pass codes."

Cas responded with confusion, _no surprise there_, Dean thought as he started to clarify when he was interrupted by Meg.

"We brought you Sammy's soul." Meg said loudly to break through Dean's anger.

Dean walked back around to where they stood, carrying the knife at his side. When it registered what she was saying he staggered back a step to lean against the grill of the impala as he whispered, "Excuse me?"

Cas stepped closer, leaning in as he raised his voice so Dean could hear him, "We brought Sammy's soul."

Dean snapped at Cas, he was pissed off and confused all at the same time as he tucked the knife into the waistband at his back, "I heard her. I…"

Cas interrupted and his usual confused manner asked, "Then why did you…"

"Cas!" Dean yelled as he grabbed his lapels of his trench coat and gave him a quick shake, "How did you get him out?"

Cas smiled towards Meg as he then turned to look at Dean again saying proudly, "She found the cage and made a deal with Michael. Michael then gave her Sammy's soul to bring to me."

Dean dropped his hands away from Cas as if burned and slid sideways along the front of the car until he no longer had the impala at his back, then he quickly stepped away from them as he asked, "Why would he just give his soul up like that?"

Meg smiled as she told him softly, "I'm great at bargains."

Dean snarled while taking another small step back, "No, I don't believe you. This is… "He searched for the right words, "_This is fucked up_, that's what this is." He declared, _shit_.

Cas took a step towards him, "This is her peace offering to you."

"Whoa…" Dean told Cas, "back the fuck right back up there sheriff." as he had bowed his head to organize his thoughts. When he glanced up to see Cas moving towards him once again Dean screamed at Cas, "Don't fucking step any closer to me."

Sam and Bobby had been bringing sandwiches out to share with Dean when they heard him scream out in rage.

Bobby dropped the plates and reached behind him for his gun at his back. They rounded the corner of the stack of cars to find Cas and _Meg _Facing off with Dean.

Meg noticed them first with both Sam and Bobby pointing guns at them she said over Dean's shoulder, "Whoa there, cowboys. We're just having a little pow-wow."

"Dean?" Bobby asked, not lowering his gun as Sam moved to stand next to Dean.

Dean snapped without taking his eyes off Cas. "Cas brought Meg here."

Bobby glared at Cas, eyes snapping with anger as he growled, "What the fuck is wrong with you? You bring the enemy here? To my place after everything these boys have done for you?"

Sam asked, lowering his gun slightly as he addressed Cas, "Why did you do that?"

Dean snorted as he said sharply, "Cas is apparently too naive for his own good as well as everyone else's."

Cas tried to protest, "Dean I checked…"

Dean growled, pointing his finger at Cas, "You know longer get a vote, your judgment is impaired."

Bobby sighed, with a quick glance skyward he asked, "Dean tell me what is going on."

Dean pointed at Meg as he said in his 'still' angry tone, "Apparently she's brought us a peace offering. It would seem that she's been in the pit retrieving Sammy's soul." At the twin astonished looks, Dean nodded and continued, truly engrossed in his rant, "Yeah and not only that… out of the goodness of Michael's heart he released it to Meg here."

Meg frowned before she said as she watched Dean, "Cas told you I made a deal. Sammy's soul was part of it. Free and clear of faults. Returned to normal. The other parts haven't been finalized yet."

"What the fuck does that mean?" Dean snarled with the classic 'you better tell me right the fuck now before I kill you' look.

**TBC**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer**: Still not mine…

NOTE: Since I was so late posting last night, I'm posting early today. Hope this makes up for that… : Stats are down again… okay, okay… I'll stop whining. Thanks for all the continued reviews. I adore them! As always thanks for the favs and alerts, they cause smile alerts as well.

Chapter 9

"It means chucklehead that we have Sammy's soul, but I promised to return to release Michael. To do that I need something from you." Meg told him as she jutted her chin out stubbornly.

"Oh, let me guess… my soul?" Dean asked, and then said without hesitation, "Where do you want it delivered? You want it now?"

Bobby looked like he was considering shooting Dean himself as he snarled taking a step toward Dean, "Don't you fucking dare, Dean Winchester!"

Meg chuckled at Dean as she shook her head, "Will you never learn honey? That's what got you boys in this mess… in a round about way. All I need from you is the key to the cage… the horseman's rings."

Dean laughed as he told her bluntly, "I'd hand you my soul, sign, sealed and delivered before you will ever see those rings."

Meg retorted with a hand on her hip as she leaned forward slightly towards Dean, "I wouldn't bet on that, _baby_."

Dean rubbed a hand over his mouth then slid it up to scrub at his face as his eyes closed in frustration.

"He already gave me Sammy's soul." Meg tried again, reminding him.

Dean's eyes popped open as he stared at Meg, suddenly he couldn't breath. He tried really hard to do that one simple thing. He'd thought she was only here with an idea on how to get Sam's soul. It hadn't registered, not that she had it… suddenly sound went in and out, but the air still wouldn't. He felt his knees give way and he started sinking to the ground. He couldn't stop his downward flight anymore than he could breath. He felt arms go around him but he couldn't focus on who it was. He wasn't sure how long he couldn't breath but when he was finally able it was Sam's face he saw. He smiled, feeling a little foggy headed, "Sammy?"

"Not yet." Meg said as Sam's face was replaced by Bobby's. "Dean… fainting?"

"Dude…" Dean gasped out, "Dudes don't…." He paused as he searched for a more manly description to what had happened to him settling on, "panic."

"Oh, Okay." Bobby said with a snort as he ruffled Dean's hair, "He's fine. Just give him room to breathe."

Cas asked confused, "I thought this is what we had been trying to do. Get Sam's soul back?"

Sam piped up wanting to get his two cents in, "Sam doesn't want it."

Dean glared from his spot on the ground as he struggled to sit up he told Sam angrily, "You don't get a vote either; you haven't had no judgment to begin with."

Bobby helped Dean stand as he told everyone, "Maybe we should move this…" looking around at the group he continued, "discussion inside."

The group moved silently into the house. No one speaking until they were in the living room. Then Dean told Meg.

"The beginning… _please_." Dean asked as he leaned against the doorframe.

She cleared her throat, and then began. "Michael gave me Sam's healed soul, but I promised to return to release him."

"And what stops you from never returning, what's his guarantee that you will?" Dean asked suspicious, still not trusting her.

"Because I made a mistake in the wording when I told him the condition I wanted Sammy returned to and I will need him to fix it. Besides, he knows my secret." She waited for Dean's next question.

"How did you mess up?" Dean asked, and then noticed Sam's trying to leave the room. "Sam come back here."

Sam came back to stand about where he had been before, so Dean could see him.

Dean asked Meg, "What happened?'

Cas interrupted Meg and answered Dean, "She told Michael to repair Sam's soul to free of faults and to its pure form."

Dean frowned, not understanding, but Sam apparently understood just fine, "Before yellow eyes bled… I was six months old!" Sam stepped back in panic, only to have Cas reach out and knock him out with two fingers to his forehead. Dean made a grab for Sam, going to his knees as he slid towards Sam from the doorway. He wasn't able to stop Sam's descent, but he managed to keep his head from connecting with the floor. Sitting there holding his brother he asked Cas and Meg. "What does that mean for us?"

Meg frowned as she said truthfully, "I was trying to make it where he couldn't back out or do something… ya know, demon like."

"Actually I think it may be his insurance that we come get him. By making his soul that… pure we would need him to get Sam back the way he should be." Cas finished for Meg.

"What was your plan, Meg?" Dean finally asked for the first time using a civil tone.

"I wanted to give you a peace offering because…" She looked highly uncomfortable as she felt her face heat up and she started to feel hot. She got a confused look on her face.

Dean raised his eyebrows as he stared at her, she was actually blushing.

She cleared her throat and started over, "A peace offering so that you might…" She swallowed hard, then continued, "forgive me for everything bad… I've done to you boys."

Dean tilted his head, asking, "Why do you want that from us?" absentmindedly, pushing Sam's bangs back as his curiosity was peaked.

"You won't believe me if I tell you. I will need to prove it. Even then I doubt you can even believe me." She glanced quickly at Cas and then her eyes darted away as she blushed maroon.

Dean looked at Cas and then Meg as it dawned on him he breathed out, "No, fucking way."

Meg blinked rapidly as she muttered, "That's what I thought, too."

"I bet old Luce's is going to be _pissed." _Dean commentedwith a snort of laughter.

"He's raging already. He'll be even more so when I return to let Michael out. All of Hell will be after me when this gets out." Meg said with a sigh.

"I've heard that before, so yeah it makes it hard to believe coming from your kind." Dean stated honestly.

Meg flinched as she snarled the name, "Ruby."

Dean nodded as he commented, "Yeah she wanted a chance to prove herself too."

Meg nodded as she tried to return the honesty, "I know. I never expected this either. It is…" She struggled for the right words, "Disturbing. Life was simple, now it's…" Again she scrunched up her nose as she thought before saying, "complicated."

Dean asked her, "So, what's your plan for getting this fixed? And just where is Sam's soul?"

She held out her hand and showed Dean her hand. He looked at her sparkling ring but wasn't finding Sammy.

Dean said with a hint of sarcasm, "Little help, Meg."

She pointed to the set of the ring with her index finger of her other hand, tapping the gem with her finger. "Right there. I watched him put it there myself after he fixed him."

"How did he look before? Was he okay?" Dean couldn't resist asking, watching her face to verify her honesty.

"I couldn't really tell. He was a pale blue ball of light they were playing ping pong with. He was scared, I think." She stated carefully as she thought back to the almost paralyzing fear she had felt before Michael fixed him. She pulled the ring from her finger as she held it out to Dean. "I would like that back after we get Sammy out. It meant a lot to me before."

"Before what?" Dean couldn't resist asking.

"I don't remember much just that I used to be human before I was given to… the one I called father." Meg admitted softly.

"You were human? Who gave you to him?" Dean demanded because he wasn't ready to fall for this yet. He'd done that with Ruby and it had cost them everything.

"My parents. They were followers of Lucifer and called up Azazel; it was his requested show of faith. My brother was also given to him as well. I was angry for a long time. I got even with all humans for what _my family _did. I think that is one reason I hated you so much. The love you two…"She nodded at Dean holding Sam, "It was the most unique thing I'd ever run across and I was jealous, it was not something I had experienced from anyone but my grandmother, the owner of that ring. Even that faded after time and only hate remained." She admitted. If she wanted their forgiveness she knew she had to be honest with the Winchesters and Cas.

Dean looked at Cas. Cas nodded that she was being truthful.

"huh." Dean wasn't sure where they should go from here. The only thing he was certain of was that he was so close to getting Sammy back, he couldn't stop now. He took the ring and put it on his pinky. The only place it would fit and he wasn't letting it go until he got Sammy back.

**TBC**


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: STILL not mine… (Sigh)

**NOTE**: Thank you all so much for the reviews! Love the fuzzies I get from them! As always thank you for the favs and alerts.

Chapter 10

Later that evening the three sat around the kitchen table as Bobby cooked and Sam slept on the couch where Dean could still see him as they discussed where to go from here.

He watched Cas stare at Meg like she was an insect about to be dissected and grinned to himself as he turned to Bobby, "What do you think?"

"I think your all idgits." Bobby said sarcastically, not even glancing at Dean as he said it.

Meg told Bobby honestly, "I see why you love them so much. They are very loyal."

Bobby's head jerked up to stare at her, "Uhm." he said has he went back to cooking. _Love... what did a demon know about love?_ he thought silently, narrowing his eyes as he watched her out of the corner of his eye while pretending _not _to watch her.

"When are you leaving?" Dean finally asked Meg, breaking the stareage going on between her and Bobby.

"As soon as you give me the rings." Meg told him bluntly staring Dean in the eye.

Dean reached into his pocket only to halt his hand in mid-motion at Bobby's tone, "Boy."

Dean looked at Bobby, waiting for him to continue.

"Are you sure?" Bobby asked quietly with a quick glance Meg's direction.

Dean nodded and Bobby turned away as he said under his breath, "I hope you know what you're doing."

Dean agreed with Bobby's level of worry, wondering the same thing. What if he totally fucked this up by handing over his only leverage to a demon. The exact same one that had tried many times to fuck up their world.

Dean pulled out the rings, but asked before moving them towards Meg, "Are you going to let out Lucifer?"

"I'm sure that will be Michael's decision." Meg told him as she waited for his decision.

Dean nodded his understanding. "What about Adam?" Dean asked suddenly.

"Michael is still wearing him, but he mentioned Adam's opinion of his treatment of Sammy's soul. So I'd say he's still around." Meg told him truthfully.

"Ask Michael to take him with him. He wanted to go to heaven with his mom. Will you make sure?" He asked as he watched her face.

"Yeah," She said with a slow grin, "I can throw that in… what the hell." She shrugged as she told them, "If I don't come back, you'll know I'm rotten in hell somewhere."

"What?" Cas asked, finally getting into the conversation as he looked from Meg to Dean.

"There's always a chance that this will backfire. It's why I tried to get Sam's soul first. When I go back, they may both get out and put me in their place. I don't know. They seemed to have a love hate kind of thing going on with each other." Meg said bluntly, watching Cas as she told him what she thought.

Cas frowned as he said, "Then I will go with you."

"No." She yelled just as vehemently as Dean when he snapped it out at the same time.

They looked at each other, shocked at the other's response.

After several seconds of stunned silence, she looked at Cas, "I'm not sure how I feel about this new… these…" She struggled to put into words what she wanted to say, "Feelings I am being bombarded with…" She sighed as she continued as the insane thought of 'in for a penny in for a pound' raced through her brain. _What the hell did that even mean_? She thought, _random… shit_. Aloud she continued, "But I won't risk you… um…" _shit _she thought, _shut the fuck up_! Out loud she tried again, "You can't go." She told him firmly.

Cas' chin jutted out when he clinched his jaw as he snapped, standing, "I am an Angel of the Lord and the sheriff of Heaven. I can go where I want." He told her stubbornly.

"Well, la de da… I am a demon of Hell about to defect to the other side. You still can't go. Right, Dean?" Meg stated, not backing down.

"Uh… right?" Dean wasn't sure how to feel about the current events. Was she going to betray them like Ruby? She'd done so much more than Ruby had to them already. Where as Ruby kept them guessing until the end when she revealed her true goal, after it was too late for Sammy or Dean. Dean was confused…he couldn't straighten out the two. With Meg he was willing climbing in bed... so to speak... _hell_, both claimed wanting to change, be good, but… He ran a hand through his hair, _they needed to be cautious_, he decided. _But she wasn't bringing Cas into danger. So what did that mean_?

"Dean." Cas snapped, annoyed with Dean's own show of defection. Dean was suppose to have his back like he did for Dean.

Bobby cleared his throat as he asked, "How can we be sure that you really brought us Sammy's soul? That could just be nothing but a ring." Bobby nodded towards Dean's pinky where he had placed the ring from Meg.

Dean watched Meg as she frowned, "Well, Cas can check it again. Pull him out, but don't let him get away. He's scared." She rambled before she finally convinced herself to shut up. _He's scared? What was she thinking telling Dean that_!

"What if we put his soul back now?" Dean asked, considering the possibilty.

"What would you do with a six foot four six month old? Are you going to change his diapers?" Meg demanded, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Gross… that was a visual I didn't need. Now it's etched into…" Dean began only to be interrupted by Bobby.

"Cas… is Sammy in that ring?" Bobby demanded to know, wanting a definite answer before things progressed any further.

Cas nodded as he told them, "I checked when she first called me."

"Well, hell Cas you could have said something." Dean sighed as a hand ran through his hair in aggravation.

"I tried… you wouldn't let me tell you…" Cas said with Dean-like stubbornness.

Dean glared at Cas. Cas opened in mouth to say something else only to be interrupted by Bobby.

"So, your plan is to waltz in there, release Michael and walk back out?" Bobby asked pulling the pan off the hot burner, moving it to a cooler one.

"Yep, that about sums it up." She said bluntly.

"Sounds suicidal to me." Dean muttered as he thought about the plan.

"You got a better plan, Dean? Cause I would love to hear it. What I've already done is the easy part. This time around I have to convince Michael to fix this, take Adam with him and let me live, topside. Oh, and keep Lucifer caged." She tilted her head as she waited.

Dean sighed, considering something before he told her, "I could go with you, watch your six."

"Like hell!" Bobby snarled, throwing a dish rag at him.

Dean gave Bobby a shrug and a grin, to which Bobby picked up another towel and looked ready to launch that as well at Dean.

"No." Meg said as she smiled when she thought, _who would have thought, Dean Winchester offering to watch my back. I did shoot him_… She crinkled her nose, _hindsight_…

Cas interrupted her rambling thoughts with a glare and a statement to Dean, "If I can't go, you sure can't."

"Why's that?" Dean asked curious, really interested in the answer.

"You're only human." Cas said flatly, with a dash of superiority in his tone.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Dean demanded standing as well.

**TBC**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer**: dang it… dang it… dang it… not mine.

**NOTE**: Thanks for all the reviews! Love them! Thank you for all your support, you know who you are! Love it! Fuzzies! Love them! Well, I guess I'm just full of… love today. ) Thanks for the favs and alerts!

Chapter 11

"Humans are fragile." Cas said somewhat arrogantly as he sat back down.

Dean snorted as Meg commented, "The last word I would use to describe Dean Winchester is fragile."

"Thanks…" Dean said before adding, "I think."

Meg stood as she said, tugging on the bottom of her shirt nervously, "I better go. I'll call Cas when I get back topside."

Cas stood awkwardly fidgeting as he said lamely, "I'll be waiting."

To which both Bobby and Dean stared at him.

"What?" He asked innocently, not understanding the looks.

Meg grinned as she saluted them, saying brightly, "Boys… see ya on the flipside." turning she walked out, not looking back.

Which would have been an awesome exit if Dean hadn't called her back, meeting her in the kitchen doorway to silently hand her the rings.

She blushed furiously as she mumbled, "Yeah that could have been bad." pocketed them she tried her grand exit again.

This time actually making it to the front porch steps before Cas called out asking her to wait. She stopped and waited. She heard the front door close and the screen door slam as Cas pulled her around by one arm and swung her into him, leaning down he kissed her soundly. She pushed half heartedly at him as she tried to bring her arms up to his chest to shove him away. Instead she ended up grabbing handfuls of his shirt and pulled him closer. Her body and mind couldn't seem to agree with what she wanted. _damn, _she thought silently then her mind blanked and she forgot what she had even been thinking about. Moaning she leaned against him as he released her mouth and looked down at her, smirking slightly. She tried to catch her breath as she grinned stupidly back at him, mumbling she told him, "I think that was highly illegal… probably could get us shot… I think what we're doing is considered treason by both sides." She let her handfuls of fabric go as she placed her open palms against his chest, looking up she shook her head. "You confuse me, Cas."

Cas grinned as he realized she was using his real name more freely now and a lot more often. "Good… I won't be confused alone."

She snuggled in his arms for several minutes. These were new feelings for her. She never felt warmth from a touch before… not the all encompassing warm twinkle that surged through her entire body, threatening to engulf her. It was a foreign feeling that she was finding nice she decided. Was this what she had missed by never being allowed to become an adult topside? Her parents had sacrificed her and her brother when they were just children. She didn't get a choice, but if she had she would have chosen this.

_Holy hell! That's it… her brain was scrambled! _She backed away with a murmur of, "I'll see you soon."

Cas dropped his arms to his side as he told her, "Good Luck?" He said with a question, not sure if that was what he should say or not. He was so confused… would this class as fallen? Was he a sinner… was he like Anna before she had been reinstated? He was afraid that what he was doing was probably far worse. He watched her disappear around a stack of cars… _shit; _he might be heading in the same direction Lucifer had gone- down. Cas was so… lost… that was it… _he was lost_.

He needed advice… now. He was slightly afraid to talk to Dean; he already knew how Dean felt. Sammy was pointless to talk to now, he was still soulless. If he was even like he was before letting Lucifer out, _he would have _talked to him. If any could understand being… what was he… interested? Was that the right word? Sammy could. He had been involved with a demon himself.

Cas stood there just staring into space until Dean opened the door and watched him a couple of seconds before asking, "You okay?"

Cas sighed before saying in the closest to a confused voice yet, "I do not know, Dean." He looked over his shoulder at Dean telling him, "I think I'm broken."

Dean stared at Cas silently a couple more seconds before pushing the screen door slowly open and slipping outside as he simultaneously pulled the front door closed, letting the screen door close on its own as he stepped up next to Cas. Finally Dean said softly, "Broken, huh?"

Cas nodded as he returned his stare to where he'd last seen Meg before she turned the corner and went… away.

"Why do you think you're broken?" Dean asked him after more silence.

"I like a demon." Cas started staring at his own feet as he said so softly, Dean had a hard time hearing him. "_It's wrong_. Everything we've been told says that."

Dean turned, taking a step back to lean on the porch rail facing Cas.

"_You've_ even told me that… But she never had a chance to choose to be good or bad." Cas said with a quick glance at Dean before staring back into the yard working it out in his head as he talked to Dean.

"Uhuh." Dean commented just enough for Cas to know he was listening, but not enough to interrupt Cas' train of thought.

"I've always been taught humans all have a choice, free will... _But she's a demon now_…" Cas spread his hands out then continued, "But she was a person that didn't get her choice when she was a human child, it was made for her. So does the choice she made after turning into a demon count? Is it the only one she gets because she's demon now? Can she reverse it all by making a choice now? You know… I told her she could… but what do I really know?" Cas had continued to stare out into the yard the whole time he'd been talking, "So this confuses me." Cas said, finally looking Dean in the eye while he rubbed at his brow with one hand as if trying to ward off a headache.

"Honestly Cas, I worry that she may be like Ruby. That you could get hurt the same way Sammy did." Dean finally saying out loud what he'd been feeling about the situation.

"But I don't feel deception from her. There's lots of confusion about me, kisses and the role she's always played. She was given to hell when she was 5 years old, Dean. How can someone do that, her brother wasn't much older. She barely knew what good was before all they knew was evil. It confuses me."

"I don't know, why don't you ask your father?" Dean said after thinking about it for a little while.

"Uh… no." Cas said in such a human way it made Dean laugh; Cas had a look on his face that denoted horror at the thought. Well now that Dean took the time to study Cas, he kind of looked like he did during their talk at the motel.

Dean grabbed Cas' arm as turned him back towards the house he told Cas, "Then we'll go to the next best thing." Dean opened the screen as he told Cas, "Bobby."

Cas braced his feet as he stiffened up and pulled back, "That's okay… I'd rather not."

Which only made Dean laugh harder as he threw open the front door and pulled Cas through the doorway towards a conversation he didn't want to have.

Meg was still wandering down through the same corridors she had already been through twice so far. She supposed she could have smoked herself wherever, but she wanted the body to go too. She would need it topside if she made it that far. At this point she could only guess how all this would turn out. She knew how she wanted it to turn out. But that wasn't what was likely to happen.

Demons didn't get to dream, which is what she was trying to do. Dream and then get that dream. She smiled, yeah, 'cause her life was such a fairytale right now and nice things just happen to good little demons… she snorted, yeah, and the sky was painted neon green with orange polka dots.

Her thoughts moved on back to her very own Clarence… she smiled. Cas was like a young man that had his first crush. She just hoped it could be more.

Before she even realized how far she'd traveled she once again stood before the cage as she waited for the fighting to die down so she could talk to Lucifer and Michael.

Lucifer shoved Michael as he roared, "Well it's your fault we have nothing to do… _you _gave away our soul."

"Well, it seemed like a good deal, better than anything _you've_ come up with." Michael snarled right back as he gave Lucifer a return shove.

Meg got tired of waiting for them to notice they were once again in her company so she cleared her throat and waited for them to realize her presence.

**TBC**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer**: Still own nothing.

**NOTE**: Thank you so much for all the encouragement and compliments in the reviews! LOVE them! Thanks for the adds to favs and alerts.

I am adding this one because I promised. I am not fully happy with it, but I promised so here it is. I am heading to bed with a migraine that even the crying is not easing. So hopefully there is not too many glaring mistakes. I have read it over 3 times... let me know if I need to fix something and I can do that tomorrow if this goes away... it's not looking promising. But, I hope you enjoy this chapter anyway!

Chapter 12

Lucifer noticed Meg first as he exclaimed with a laugh, "Well, I'll be damned, she came back." then he crossed his arms across his chest as he shoulder bumped Michael.

Michael smiled as he walked up to the bars grabbing them and saying, "Did you bring the rings?"

Meg smiled as she crossed her arms as well stating, "Maybe, but we need to work out some details of our deal. Then we'll discuss the rings."

Michael smirked as he told her, stepping back and spreading his arms wide, "Time's a wasting."

Meg tilted her head to the side as she said, "First I need you to fix Sammy's soul. _Correctly_ this time."

Michael stated firmly, "As long as you let me out, it's done."

She nodded as she began what was her part of the deal, "Okay. Next, I want to live topside. I don't want to be this way anymore. I didn't have a choice to become what I am. It wasn't _my_ will that made me this way… my parents made that decision for me. I don't want this."

"No." Lucifer roared, eyes flashing red in his rage.

"Okay, but I have to warn you. You will stay a demon until the good you do starts to balance the bad, then and only then will you start to become less of a demon and more human. But I must warn you on this as well, it can be a long process." Michael smiled as he agreed choosing to ignore his brother, waiting to see what she would decide.

"No creature can force me to come back." She looked from Michael to Lucifer as she stated another condition she wanted. She chewed her lip. If he said no, she was screwed because Lucifer would never forgive her and he would torture her until the end of time. But she took the risk and waited. She had come too far to turn back now.

"Done." Michael agreed to which Lucifer grabbed Michael and shoved him away from the bars as he sizzled with anger, snarling, "You can't make deals… not with my…"

Meg gave a sigh of relief that went unnoticed by the captive audience.

Michael roared back at him poking him in the chest to emphasize his point, "I can do what I want, Lucifer. You would do well to remember that."

"Last time I fucking checked, you were in the same cage as me." Lucifer growled, starting to smoke in his barely contained fury.

"Not for long." Michael said smugly with a smirk that had Lucifer grinding his teeth.

"You can't leave me in here, Michael." Lucifer declared firmly.

"Boys, are you done with this round of your pissing contest?" Meg asked with a smirk of her own, before adding, "I also need when you leave and return to heaven to take Adam and give him back to his mother. That was promised to him for his part in this."

"I know that." Michael said, "But, how do you know?"

"Dean told me, he wants your promise you will follow through with it. Adam is his brother too. He wants him to get what he needs out of this as well." Meg told him as she continued, "If I let you out, what do you intend for Lucifer?"

Lucifer glared at Michael saying softly, "Think real hard, brother before you answer that."

Michael smirked at Lucifer before he stated with a hint of laughter, "Brother, _now_ might not be the best time to threaten me. With your fate resting in my hands and all."

Meg couldn't help it, she snorted at their behavior.

She actually laughed when they both turned to glare at her. "I need a promise that Sammy's soul is now off limits as a bargaining chip, as well as Dean and Adams. They get to chance to live, just be brothers."

"And your _soul_?" Lucifer snapped, watching her intently.

"I get a chance to redeem myself. With whoever I want." Meg stated before looking down to stare at her feet.

"What does that mean?" Lucifer asked as he narrowed his eyes he hissed, "Are you a Winchester bitch now?"

"And what if I was?" She demanded, dropping her folded arms to rest her hands on her hips as she returned her gaze to Lucifer.

Lucifer roared his rage as Michael laughed at Lucifer's reaction.

"You have to guarantee that Lucifer remains in hell for the rest of eternity. No leaving to wreck havoc above. No topside views for him." Meg said, knowing that she saved this last for a reason.

"Done." Michael said reaching his hand through the bars to shake hands and seal the deal.

She took his hand and shook it. Michael yanked her to him, slamming her into the bars as he whispered, "Cas must be one hell of a kisser to cause all this."

Her eyes jerked to meet his, fear meeting amused. "He and I must talk about these new… developments."

Lucifer grabbed Michael and shoved him across the cage, slamming him into the bars on the other side. "You cannot leave me here, Michael."

Michael shoved back and they tumbled onto the ground as Michael grabbed Lucifer in a headlock as he yelled, "I could leave you here in this cage instead of allowing free roam once again of hell. And since you feel this way… If you try to leave hell for any reason. Any reason at all… you automatically get sent back inside the cage. Except you won't get out next time. Because I will give the keys to father… or maybe back to Dean Winchester." Then he smacked Lucifer on the forehead and let him go. Standing he walked back over to where Meg stood and asked, "Anything else?"

"You promise that you will fix Sammy. No memories of hell ever. No anything harmful… like he was before his girlfriend was killed in college."

"So, back to…"

"God you are worse than a crossroads demon. I want him to remember who he is, just that level of innocence and faith that he had in Dean and God restored. Can you give him and Dean that back?" Meg asked.

Michael smiled as he told her, "I can do that. As soon as you let me go, we can go straight to them and put him back together."

She smiled then looked at Lucifer, "You agree to leave us alone and you can't send anything after us."

"Everyone you mentioned will be safe." Lucifer agreed sullenly.

_Shit _she thought I have to mention him, then. "Fine, you cant' mess with Bobby Singer or…" She took a deep breath, "Castiel."

Lucifer jerked then questioned, "My brother Castiel?"

"Never mind… they've now been mentioned as well, do you agree or not?" Meg said hastily, trying to distract him from his current line of questioning.

Lucifer sighed, watching Meg as he walked closer to Michael, asking him, "Are we doing this?"

Michael stared at Lucifer as he told him, "Brother it is time we returned to our rightful places. Mine is in heaven helping father and yours…" Michael spread his arms wide.

Lucifer said quietly, "Mine is to be pit monitor for all eternity."

Michael told him seriously, "You chose this path, centuries ago."

"Maybe I wish I could have that second chance at redemption, like Meg." Lucifer admitted quietly.

"I am truly sorry brother; I wish you had that choice as well. But you walked this path with no one forcing you to be this… _you _chose this." Michael told him gently.

Lucifer nodded then stepped up and embraced Michael, "Goodbye brother, tell father hello for me." He then stepped back as he told him, "Tell our brothers so none follow in my path. Tell them all that I have learned."

Michael grasped Lucifer's shoulder as he told him sincerely, "I will."

Michael stepped towards Meg as he told her, "We are ready."

**TBC**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer**: Nada… that's what I own…

**NOTE**: LOVE the reviews! They are awesome and helped with the migraine! (((hugs))) to all my reviewers! Unfortunately it has returned today… but not as bad, yet. So I figured I needed to get this out before it hits full force. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 13

Meg nodded as her heart raced, they had seemed to make peace with each other and she wondered if this was about to backfire on her. Would they let her get them out only to turn on her once she had. She took a deep breath telling herself to calm down as she stepped up and took the rings out of her pocket. Starting to place the rings on the lock, she noticed she needed to put them on one at a time, three in all. Huh, it had taken four to put them in, hadn't it? She looked up at Michael the confusion clear in her expression, asking, "Didn't it take four to put you in here?"

Michael nodded as he shrugged looking indifferent, "Yes, but Death refused to be involved with making a key to let him back out. He said there was only needed a way in, not out. So he refused to be a part of it."

She shrugged mimicking Michael while placing the rings as needed. She glanced at them, watching the excitement cross their faces as they waited before she pushed the final ring in place. She turned the handle and stepped back, letting go as the door swung silently open she thought, _Huh, anticlimactic_.

All three stood locked in place for a minute, trying to judge what the others were about to do before Michael and Lucifer walked out of the cage. Then Michael quickly gathered the rings as he told Lucifer, "These stay with me."

Michael grabbed Meg by the arm and they were immediately transported topside. She just managed to glimpse Lucifer's shock registering on his face before they vanished. He was not given a chance to do anything to stop them.

"Wow that was a lot quicker than the way down." Meg said, feeling slightly dizzy.

"Hasty exit was the safest route considering how pissed Luce is going to be when he finds out he really can't leave hell. I want to thank you for coming back. I didn't think you really would." Michael told her honestly, thinking how he was not really sure how he would explain his escape to his father.

"I still need Sammy fixed. This isn't done yet." Meg said, hoping he agreed.

Michael nodded. "Where to then?"

"Bobby Singer's Salvage, at the house." Meg told him as she felt a twinge of discomfort at the blink of closing her eyes in one place and then opening them again to be instantly on Bobby's porch.

She quickly knocked as she called out, "Cas… Dean… I'm back. Michael's…"

The door opened to Dean standing there, holding an angel killing knife. Her first thought was he looked _good_ standing there like an avenging angel... _damn_, random... _focus!_ She thought maybe she should feel glad it wasn't the demon killing one as she rearranged her thoughts.

"He's here to fix Sammy." She told him, opening the screen door.

Dean looked from her to Michael staring unsmilely at him, "Michael… I see you still have my brother."

Michael nodded as he said, "Only for transport, I'll deliver him to heaven after I fulfill my promise here." Michael watched Dean before adding, "Or I could leave now."

Dean pushed the door open all the way for Michael as he let Meg pass. "Come in, Michael."

Michael smirked as he told Dean, "I have waited for that invitation for a long time."

"It's only into Bobby's house," Dean snarked back, "down boy… don't get overly excited." Dean finished the comment with a smirk back.

Dean led the way followed by Meg then Michael.

"Wow," Meg said as she asked, "Have you kept him out since I've been gone?" Nodding to Sammy asleep on the couch.

"Maybe." Dean commented with a shrug.

"Ready to get the party started, Mikey?" Dean asked as he watched Bobby come silently into the living room behind Michael and Meg.

"Where's my brother, Cas? I'd like to talk to him." Michael said, ignoring Dean's question as he glanced around looking for Cas.

"Why don't we take care of my brothers, then we'll talk about yours." Dean told Michael bluntly.

Michael chuckled, "You never change, Dean."

Dean looked at Michael, "Yeah well as I recall that was one of my redeeming qualities that you so admired."

Michael laughed as he admitted, "So it was."

"So, how about we do this then." Dean stated again, starting to feel like Michael was stalling.

"What's the hurry, Deano? Are you sure you don't like this model Sam better?" Michael asked as he walked over and looked down at Sam on the couch.

"No. I fucking don't, so stop dicking around and do the damn job you were brought here to do." Dean snapped, getting pissed off quick.

Bobby held up a book as he stepped around Michael and Meg and next to Dean, "We can always read from this… make you more agreeable."

Michael frowned as he roared, "Do not dare to threaten me, human!"

"Easy there, angel of the lord… just do what you agreed to and no one will do anything hasty." Dean stated calmly as he laid a hand on Bobby's arm.

Michael held out his hand towards Dean.

"What?" Dean asked, confused as he stared back at Michael.

"The ring… Sammy's soul. I need it to fix it and put it back." Michael said as if he was talking to a simpleton.

"No." Dean said in the same tone he had told Cas no when he'd asked for his amulet the first time.

Michael gestured with a gimme motion of his fingers, still keeping his hand out.

"Yeah, like I'm going to hand it over so you can take off with it and all this shit starts all over again." Dean stated flatly, stepping closer to Sam.

Michael sighed, he was right to worry because if he wasn't bound by his word, that is exactly what he would do. "Hold out your hand then, Dean."

Immediately Dean stuck out his hand towards Michael.

Michael took Dean's hand in his as he told him, "I will fix his soul while it's still in the ring, then pull it out and put it back in Sam. I must warn you; this might…" He shrugged then continued with a grin,"will be painful."

Dean nodded his understanding as he gave a hurry up motion of his hand while waiting for Michael to begin.

Bobby walked over next to Dean as he placed a hand on Dean's shoulder and then dropped his hand and stepped back.

Michael grasped Dean's hand in both of his before adding to the room, "What ever you do, don't interrupt us. It would damage both Dean and Sam." Then Michael looked Dean in the eye and Dean saw the knowledge that it was about to become very painful just a second before fire erupted in his hand shooting up his arm and following his veins through out his body. He went instantly to his knees as he bit his lip to try to keep from crying out. The veins bulged in his neck as his face contorted in pain right before he screamed out in pain. Dean knew nothing else except pain until Michael released him to collapse on the floor.

At Dean's first scream Sammy jerked and then with Dean's second scream he was standing in front of the couch, blinking. Looking around he tried to figure out what was happening. Adam? Why did Adam have a hold of Dean's hand and what the hell was he doing to him? He started forward to Dean when he was grabbed by Bobby and Meg.

"You can't. He's doing this for you." Meg told Sam, trying to keep him still.

Startled Sam looked down at Meg, "What do you mean?"

"Michael is repairing your soul." Bobby added, looking Sam in the eye.

Sam's eyes jerked back to Dean on his knees on the floor, the torture obvious. "Stop it. I'm not worth this. Stop hurting him."

"Boy look at me!" Bobby demanded with an 'I mean it, boy' tone.

Sam immediately looked at Bobby, "You have to see this through because _Dean thinks you're worth it_. You hear me? _We think you're worth it_." Bobby squeezed one of Sam's arms he was holding, whispering again, "You hear me?"

Sam nodded as he told Bobby, "Please let me go to him at least."

So it was that Sam reached Dean right after he collapsed on the floor unconscious. Sam cradled Dean's head in his lap as he set next to Dean on the floor. "Why would he go through this for me?"

Michael told him bluntly, "You will know the answer when you are whole again, Samuel Winchester."

Sam nodded as he waited for what was coming next, even though a part of him wanted to run. Quick, fast and as far as he could away from the soul that was soon to be back.

Michael pulled the ring off Dean's finger and placed it on Sam's. "You ready?" he asked as he squatted beside the brothers.

The pain was instantaneous. He tried to stay upright as jolt after jolt ran through. Overwhelming love for Dean, he glanced down at Dean. He loved his brother! Love for his father, Bobby and Jess. He felt like his was being electrocuted with wave after wave of emotions, screaming out right before falling forward limply, resting his forehead on Deans. "Brother." he whispered.

Michael stood, dusting his hands off as he said, "I think I'm done here." Then he tilted his head as if listening before saying with a sigh, "Adam has something to say."

When Michael next spoke they could tell it was no longer Michael.

Bobby knelt down beside the boys as he and Sam waited for Adam to speak.

Tears sprang to Adam's eyes as he told them, "Please tell Dean thank you from me for making sure I got out. He didn't have to, especially after what I said to you both last time I was here. For that I am sorry. You have proven twice that we're brothers by coming after me when you could have just as easily left me behind. I am sad that I will never get to know you better. I would have loved big brothers." Adam smiled as his face slowly blanked and Michael once again took front and center stage.

Michael head jerked towards Meg when he heard a sniffle. "Demons cry now?" He smirked, "are you the new and improved model?"

Meg crinkled her nose as she frowned before snapping, complete with another sniffle, "Apparently they do and obviously I am."

"Is there anything else?" He asked looking at Meg.

Meg asked Sammy, "How do you feel?"

Sammy immediately tearing up, "I love my brothers, I miss Dean… I love…"

She held up her hand with a smile, "Okay, he feels… You fixed what heaven and hell broke?"

Michael said with a grin, "Yeah, I even threw in a bonus, Sammy…" he waited for Sam to look at him, "You no longer have demon blood running through your veins."

Sammy's jaw dropped, what did that mean for them? For him and for Dean?

Michael muttered before disappearing, "Yeah, about that. You can thank me later."

**TBC**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer**: Not mine at all… not even the used oil from the impala is mine…

**NOTE**: Thanks so much for all the incredible reviews! I have been pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming response to this story and I thank each and every one of you! As always thanks for the favs and alerts!

Chapter 14

The silence in the room was deafening and they were unaware of how long time stood still before Dean moaned as he shifted in Sammy's lap, trying to escape the little electrical surges of pain still shooting through out his body.

"Dean?" Sammy asked waiting for a response from his big brother, any sign that he'd heard him. Sammy waited a few seconds before he tried again, "D, wake up for me… jerk."

Dean's eyelids fluttered as he tried to move into the waking world, eyes finally opening slightly. "Hurt, Sammy." he mumbled, eyes closing after he saw a blurry outline of Sam.

"No, you don't." Sammy muttered, rubbing his knuckles on Dean's sternum as he placed his other hand on Dean's cheek, "I know you're hurt but I have missed _my big brother_… _please_ talk to me, D." The begging tone clear in his voice as he watched Dean's face closely for any sign of him recognizing that _Sammy_ was talking to him.

Dean's eyes popped open as it dawned on him it was _his Sammy_, "Sammy?" Dean's breath catching and holding while he waited for a return answer, his muscles still spasming occasionally from the surges of pain.

"Yes, D… it's me. All of me… Michael even took away the demon blood." Sammy replied as he pulled Dean up into a hug, squashing Dean to him while Dean tried to start his breathing up again. "I've missed you, bro."

Dean blinked a couple of times trying to comprehend all of Sammy _together _and_ free of demon blood _and _Sammy's here_ before crying out as his arms encircled Sammy, "Sammy!"

After a couple of seconds Dean managed a muffled, "How?" All he remembered was Michael telling him that fixing Sam while he wore the ring was going to be…

"Later." Sammy told him, interrupting Dean's thoughts as he hugged him tighter. He was with his big brother; it had been so long.

"You said… talk to you." Dean struggled to say into Sammy's shoulder causing Sammy to laugh, a laugh that reminded Dean of Sam's pre-college days which caused tears to spring up in Dean's eyes.

Bobby pulled Meg into a hug, hiding his own tears as he told her, "If you aren't the real deal I will kill you myself…" Bobby felt Meg stiffen in his arms as he continued, "But for this… I will give you the chance to prove yourself."

After he let her go she stared at him before saying, "Thank you…" an eyebrow raised in question as she continued, "I think."

"Why don't we get Dean off the floor and make sure he's okay, then how about some of the 'good stuff' to celebrate? It seems like we might have a lot to celebrate today." Bobby said as he helped the boys get off the floor.

Dean felt like his mind was slow to catch up with current events, his movements sluggish. He hoped it was only a side affect that would go away soon as he struggled to stand.

After Sammy had Dean seated in a chair, he pulled up a chair close to him and sat staring at Dean, a dimpled grin on his face, just content to stare at his big brother.

"Sammy… I know I'm a hand…" He jerked from another spasm and bit his lip to keep from groaning out loud.

Sammy rubbed Dean's arm as he asked Bobby, "How long is this shit going to continue?"

Angry that Dean was once again suffering because of him.

"I don't know… it's seems to be less often as time passes." Bobby commented watching the boys closely.

Sammy snapped angrily, sounding so much like Dean; it caused Bobby to smile, "That's not good enough, I want it fixed now." Sammy ran a hand through his hair.

Dean continued as if never interrupted, "handsome, but quit staring. It's creepy, bitch." he smiled at Sammy, trying to act that he wasn't feeling any pain.

Sammy snorted as he commented back, "Jerk."

As Sam's gaze met Megs' he remembered her ring, taking off the ring he held it out to her, "Thanks, Meg. We wouldn't be where we are now, without you going after me in the first place."

She shrugged as she reddened saying softly while she took her ring, placing it back on her hand, "It's just a small part of what I owe you two."

Sammy watched Meg for several minutes trying to decide whether or not she was being honest. He hadn't been the best judge of sincerity in the past. Maybe it would be best to let Dean decide when it would be safe to trust her. With that decided he glanced at Dean; Sam noticed the huge smile on Dean's face as he stared at him, "Dude, you're right… it is creepy."

Dean slugged him on the arm still grinning like mad.

"Jerk." Sammy commented as he rubbed his arm.

"Bitch… I'm always right." Dean smirked before it slid away with a new shiver of pain.

Sammy grabbed Dean in another hug as he whispered for Dean only, "Thanks D… I'm glad I have you back. Thanks for never giving up."

Dean's arms quickly enveloped Sammy again as Dean struggled not to cry in earnest when he whispered back to his little brother, "I was lost without you here. Thanks for coming home." There was a mutual tightening of their holds, then matching pats as they sat back and looked at each other.

The room fell silent once again as they all struggled to grasp the reality of what had occurred when Cas suddenly appeared looking like a little kid caught with his hand caught in a candy jar.

Bobby asked him as he gave him a funny look, "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm demoted and grounded." Cas said softly, hanging his head and shuffling his feet.

They were currently all sitting around the table while Bobby poured them shots of the 'good stuff' as he called it. Dean and Sammy sitting close enough together their knees and shoulders touched. Meg had been leaning against the counter facing them and had been about to sit down when Cas popped in.

Dean asked curious, "What does that mean?"

"It means Michael told father on me and he grounded me. I am to tell you and come straight back cause… I'm demoted." Cas said sadly, still looking at the floor.

Dean laughed as he asked, "How does the sheriff of Heaven get grounded? You're joking, right?" He waited a few seconds before saying again, "right?"

"He grounded me after he demoted me because I behaved… badly. I was consorting with the enemy." Cas said with a guilty lightening quick glance at Meg and then back to Dean.

"Oh…" Dean said with a half grin, "Really? What are you now?"

"Look… haven't you been listening?" Cas sounded frustrated as he told Dean again, "Demoted… I am demoted."

Dean chuckled at the expression on Cas' face.

"And grounded." Cas added in a mutter, glaring at Dean, daring him to laugh again.

"Why are you grounded? Because of me? Am I the enemy you're talking about?" Meg asked, trying to get a look into Cas' eyes for confirmation.

Meg stood so quickly her chair fell, but it went unnoticed as she raced over to him, "Let me talk to him, I will take the blame for you." She stepped towards Cas.

"You won't be thrown down…" Her breath caught as she thought of her angel being thrown to hell. Walking up to Cas she continued, "He won't cast you down to hell? Will he? What about Michael… wasn't he doing the same thing? You know… consorting?" She was afraid of the answer to the first two questions but she needed to know anyway.

Cas looked sharply at her; she was genuinely worriedly that he would be cast down. "Well, yes Michael was consorting too, but he _wasn't kissing you_… was he?" Cas asked staring at her as he waited for her answer.

She got a disgusted look on her face, "God, no!" She frowned up at him, "Only you Cas…" She finished with a blush.

Cas smiled at her before saying, "Well, that is the difference. _I was_. Feelings for a demon are…" He stopped, thinking about what he was going to say before adding, "_It is complicated_… I have some explaining to do… to father and to Michael. I just have to be in heaven to work out some things."

Cas looked around the room as he finished what he had to say, "Then there are also the battles. They have ended but there's a lot to clean up to do and things to sort out."

He stepped close to Meg as he whispered, "And you have wings to earn, Clarence, father is watching." and he stepped back, looking around the room once again.

She smirked at Cas as she told him softly as she took a step toward Cas, "Yeah, no pressure there."

Cas leaned slightly down; kissing her gently on the forehead as he pulled Meg into a quick hug, then stepped away.

He smiled and turned to Dean and Sammy as he said, "Here's your chance to just be the Winchester boys, let's see what you do with it."

Cas looking at them before saying bluntly, "I don't know how long I will be gone." Then he nodded to Bobby and disappeared.

"Huh." Bobby said, sitting down as he looked around the room. He had the boys and a _redeemed_ demon in the room that a demoted grounded angel had just vacated who had just informed them they had a chance at normal. He laughed. An honest to god snorting that turned into a full fledged laugh that had tears rolling down his cheeks and all three other occupants of the room staring at him worriedly. _Normal, like they had any idea what that was_. He slapped the table as he continued to roar with laughter eventually causing the others to chuckle cautiously at first before joining in, not really knowing why they were laughing just that Bobby's laugh was suddenly contagious.

**THE END**

**Final Note**: Thank you so much to all that have followed this story as it has progressed! At the time that I wrote this I was unsure if it would even be something anyone would read. I chose to end it here because I can go several places with new stories if people want me to. But if not it felt like a good place to conclude it. I'm thinking about doing a series of how Meg's transformation progresses… Let me know your thoughts please. Thanks again, everyone!


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